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Cantilever Retaining Wall

Stability checks (sliding, overturning, bearing) and stem flexure/shear for cantilever retaining walls. Rankine active & passive pressure with surcharge.

Inputs

Geometry (per metre length)

m (top of stem to base of slab)
m
m
m
m
m

Soil & Loads

degrees
kN/m³
kPa
m above base for passive
kPa
tan δ ≈ 0.5–0.7
kN/m³
MPa
Method & assumptions
  • Active pressure: Ka = tan²(45−φ/2) (Rankine, vertical wall, level fill).
  • Passive: Kp = tan²(45+φ/2). Use FSpassive ≥ 1.5 in design.
  • Surcharge contributes uniform Ka·q over height.
  • Stability target FS: sliding ≥ 1.5, overturning ≥ 2.0, bearing capacity envelope.
  • Bearing pressure trapezoidal (Meyerhof) about heel; tension implies eccentricity beyond kern.
  • Stem flexural design: compute M and V at base of stem (per metre).
  • Heel slab self-weight + soil + surcharge above heel resist overturning (positive).

Results (per metre length)

Ka / Kp
Active Force Pa (soil)
Surcharge Force Pq
Total Driving Force Hd
Total Vertical W
FS Sliding
FS Overturning
Eccentricity e
qmax / qmin
Stem M / V at base
StatusOK